BASEBALL

BASEBALL; Polonia Returns To Yanks Again

By JACK CURRY

Published: August 3, 2000

Luis Polonia was in the backseat of a limousine heading from Newark Airport to a hotel in midtown Manhattan yesterday afternoon and trying to figure out the best way to celebrate his third return to the Yankees.

It took Polonia about 30 seconds to decide that he would spend last night on 169th Street in the shadows of Yankee Stadium, where several relatives live. Polonia has seven brothers, three sisters, two uncles and a daughter who live within minutes of the Stadium, and the 35-year-old outfielder planned to hang out with them.

''This is probably the most exciting thing that has happened in my career,'' Polonia said. ''I've always wanted to play for the Yankees. With the situation they have and the type of player they need, this is perfect. I'm coming home.''

The Yankees did not terminate their search for a left fielder after the nonwaiver trading deadline passed on Monday afternoon. They just lowered their expectations, plucked Polonia from baseball purgatory after he cleared waivers yesterday and signed him for the rest of the season.

It is a cheap and sensible move for the Yankees, who will only pay about $66,000 to have Polonia play left field when David Justice is the designated hitter, or is rested. Detroit gave Polonia his unconditional release on Monday, so the Tigers are responsible for the bulk of his $1.1 million salary, with the Yankees paying a prorated portion of the $200,000 minimum salary.

''He's experienced coming off the bench,'' Manager Joe Torre said. ''We're at a point where you have to look at the little things to help you win a game.''

Polonia revealed that he almost changed the course of Yankee history this season because he implored Juan Gonzalez, his former Tiger teammate, to accept a trade to New York. Obviously, Gonzalez said no in late June and now Polonia, a singles hitter, will try to give the Yankees a boost.

''The Yankees aren't a team you should ever say no to,'' Polonia said. ''I told Juan that. He just smiled. I told him that's where you go for a ring.''

Before being released, Polonia batted .273 with 6 homers and 25 runs batted in for the Tigers. Polonia's agent, Elliott Vallin, said the outfielder was 52 plate appearances short of vesting a $1.8 million option for the 2001 season, so he filed a grievance against Detroit.

The Yankees did not get B. J. Surhoff, Rondell White or Jeromy Burnitz to replace Shane Spencer, but Torre is satisfied to get a .293 career hitter who played with the Yankees in 1989 and 1990, and again in 1994 and 1995.

''I've always liked him as a hitter,'' Torre said. ''He has a small strike zone. He could have made a big difference in the '96 World Series.''

With the Yankees leading the Braves, 1-0, two outs and runners on first and second base in the ninth inning of Game 5, Polonia fouled off six straight fastballs from John Wetteland before lining a shot to right-center field. Paul O'Neill lunged to make a game-saving catch, giving the Yankees a 3-2 lead in a series they won in six games.

''That could have turned the World Series,'' Polonia said. ''It could have changed my career. If we won that game, I would have gotten a contract with the Braves. I wouldn't have had to play in Mexico.''

When Polonia was a Yankee in 1989, he pleaded no contest to a charge of having sex with a 15-year-old girl in Milwaukee. He was sentenced to 60 days in prison and a $1,500 fine. He served 27 days in Milwaukee, and completed the sentence in his native Dominican Republic.

''I was a kid when that happened,'' Polonia said. ''It's the only time where I made a mistake like that in 17 years of pro baseball. I matured. All I do now is focus on baseball.''